A 20th century woman living a 21st century life in ....Richmond,Virginia

Sunday, March 14, 2010

My WIld Irish Great-Grandmother

While I refuse to participate in the nonsense that is the American St. Patrick's Day celebration, I actually appreciate the more obscure events that happen at this time of year that are tied in to the holiday, like the beef stew luncheon I went to yesterday.

And today I was honoring my Irish heritage by sitting in the tiny Keeper's House at Shockoe Hill Cemetery listening to a talk by Dr. Nicolas Wolf about 19th and early 20th-century Irish immigrants.

My O'Donnell great-grandparents arrived in this country in the first decade of the 20th century, so I was curious.

I'd never been to this cemetery, nor did I realize how close it was to J-Ward; next time I'll walk.

I wondered briefly if the rain would postpone the event before it occurred to me that this was exceptionally Irish weather, gray and drizzly.

Dr. Wolf's first comment was to that effect, "How about this balmy warm weather? In Ireland, they'd be wearing shorts."

I was surprised to learn that of the half a million Irish who came to the colonies in the 18th century, fully three quarters of them were Protestant.

Between the high birth rates and the fact that most were tenant farmers, there was understandably a lot of pressure to leave.

Another million came in the 19th century, including even poorer and less skilled people.

About Me

Just your average Jackson Ward resident who thinks Richmond offers more than enough to keep me occupied and entertained.
I smile too much, talk way too much, am far too into music, share my opinion whether it's asked for or not, love to travel, couldn't live without chocolate or books and don't have a TV or a cell phone. I am a nerd.